Pastor wins Ashanti Regional best farmers award.

Ejura(Ash), Dec. 13, GNA - A 42-year old pastor of the Harris Church at Dompoase in the Adansi North was on Tuesday adjudged the best Ashanti Regional best farmer at a joint Ashanti Regional and Ejura-Sekyedumase District Farmers' Day celebration at Ejura.

Rev Augustine Kyei was presented with a piece of wax print, a spraying machine, sewing machine, a corn mill, six cutlasses, a pair of Wellington boots, a radio set and a box of matches In all 24 commodity farmers and institutions were honoured. Nana Appiah-Kubi from Kuffour Camp in the Atwima Mponua District was adjudged the best regional cocoa farmer and was given three cutlasses, a piece of wax print, a pair of Wellington boots, mist blower machine and a radio set.

Madam Yaa Koramah from Asuontem in the Amansie Central won the best Coffee farmer award and had four cutlasses, two full pieces of wax print, a pair of Wellington boots and a spraying machine. Each of the remaining commodity farmers was presented with five cutlasses, a pair of Wellington boots, half piece of cloth, a bicycle, radio set and a box of matches.

In the Ejura-Sekyedumase District Mr Isaac Osei-Kuffour was adjudged the overall best farmer out of the 20 farmers who were honoured.

He received a piece of wax print, a bicycle, three cutlasses, lantern, a pair of Wellington boots and a box of matches. Mr Michael Ofori Asiedu from Ejura was the second best district farmer and he had half piece of wax print, a sachet of fungicide, a pair of Wellington boots, three cutlasses, lantern and a box of matches. The best aged farmer award went to Mr Stephen Akwasi Adjei from Amenamu, while the best youth farmer award was presented to Mr Adam Mohammed with Mr Anthony Osei Owusu-Ansah receiving the best physically challenged award.

They all had a half piece of wax print, a bicycle, sachet fungicide, a pair of Wellington boots, cutlasses and lantern. Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, said farmers and fishermen in the country deserved more than what was being given to them because without them, the national economy would have collapsed.

He expressed regret that in spite of the enormous contributions agriculture makes to sustain the national economy, it is the least attractive and less respected by the youth. "What makes the situation more harrowing and frightening is the fact that majority of our farmers are aged above 50 years and are therefore not very active to undertake farming activities in the years ahead."

"The government is ready to adjust the nation's psyche towards agriculture and to restore to it the dignity and profitability inherent in it", Mr Owusu-Ansah said.

Dr Josuah Ayarkwa, the Ejura-Sekyedumase District Chief Executive, urged the people to desist from starting bushfires and called on the National Disaster Management Organization to be extra vigilant on the issue.

He called on the Regional Minister to assist the district to extend electricity to some major communities in the district to facilitate processing of farm produce at farm gates to motivate the youth to go into farming. 13 Dec 06